Dash Lights and Winshield Wiper

[300SDude]

My dash lights do not work, and I was wondering if anyone had any ideas?

Also, my wipers don't seem to work, but I can hear the motor "try" when I switch them on.

I was looking at the chrome grill that the motor is under. Do I take that off to get to the motor?

Thanks,
300SDude (Donnie)

 

[Gullwing]

Turn the wipers to an on position and then try and move it by hand, might free it up.

Dash lights, check fuses. If all ok, remove IC and check the back for broken contacts

 

[coolraoul]

First thing to do, always, witrh such older cars: check the fuse!

Concerning the dash lights, I had the same problem with my SLC. It was the contacts on the dimmer that were faulty, so try to turn carefully and slowly the dimmer button on the dash to see if contact can be made, and if not try to clean those contacts.

 

[300SDude]

Gullwing~ Thanks, I will try doing that with the wipers. LOL, never even thought of trying to "assist" them from outside.

All the fuses are good in the car. What is the "IC"?

I had it into my mechanics (who are the ones that informed me they didn't work), and he said I possibly need a new rheostat?

coolraoul~ There is a dimmer switch for my dash lights???? LOL. (All my American vehicles have one, but this is my first German car.... Is it located in the trunk somewhere under some padding? (LOL, j/k). Where do you think it would be? All I have seen for my lights is the knob to turn everything on or off. Attached is a pic of pretty-much all the knobs/switches on my dash behind the steering wheel.

Obviously, on the left is my light switch. I have found through here that the "tab" switch is my idle control. (Which I do not think works, since nothing really happens when I turn it, lol). The button next to the brake light is my trip odometer, and the last thing is the clock adjustment.

Thanks again you guys for being here, or I'd be totally lost, lol.

300SDude (Donnie)

 

[Gullwing]

IC instrument cluster

 

[300SDude]

IC instrument cluster

LOL....duh........I guess I needed my technical handbook for that one.

Thanks,
300SDude (Donnie)

 

[LaArtist]

Gullwing~ Thanks, I will try doing that with the wipers. LOL, never even thought of trying to "assist" them from outside.

All the fuses are good in the car. What is the "IC"?

I had it into my mechanics (who are the ones that informed me they didn't work), and he said I possibly need a new rheostat?

coolraoul~ There is a dimmer switch for my dash lights???? LOL. (All my American vehicles have one, but this is my first German car.... Is it located in the trunk somewhere under some padding? (LOL, j/k). Where do you think it would be? All I have seen for my lights is the knob to turn everything on or off. Attached is a pic of pretty-much all the knobs/switches on my dash behind the steering wheel.

Obviously, on the left is my light switch. I have found through here that the "tab" switch is my idle control. (Which I do not think works, since nothing really happens when I turn it, lol). The button next to the brake light is my trip odometer, and the last thing is the clock adjustment.

Thanks again you guys for being here, or I'd be totally lost, lol.

300SDude (Donnie)

Twist the odometer buton..u push it to zero the meter..
U cant twist it to dim the light or turn it off, sometimes on the old cars..there is a backlash in the switch..

Good luck

 

[300SDude]

Well, turned-on the wipers and tried them by hand. No Go. They seem REALLY stiff to me. (Usually they would have a little play, I would think). But these are like they are locked in that position. I actually think they are a little up from where they should rest when in the off position anyway.

Guess I will delve into trying to figure-out how to get to the wiper motor, lol.

Thanks,
300SDude (Donnie)

 

[coolraoul]

Gullwing~ Thanks, I will try doing that with the wipers. LOL, never even thought of trying to "assist" them from outside.

All the fuses are good in the car. What is the "IC"?

I had it into my mechanics (who are the ones that informed me they didn't work), and he said I possibly need a new rheostat?

coolraoul~ There is a dimmer switch for my dash lights???? LOL. (All my American vehicles have one, but this is my first German car.... Is it located in the trunk somewhere under some padding? (LOL, j/k). Where do you think it would be? All I have seen for my lights is the knob to turn everything on or off. Attached is a pic of pretty-much all the knobs/switches on my dash behind the steering wheel.

Obviously, on the left is my light switch. I have found through here that the "tab" switch is my idle control. (Which I do not think works, since nothing really happens when I turn it, lol). The button next to the brake light is my trip odometer, and the last thing is the clock adjustment.

Thanks again you guys for being here, or I'd be totally lost, lol.

300SDude (Donnie)

It is, unless I'm mistaken, the little black knob protruding from where the warning signs are. The one on the left. Turn it and it will dim the dash lights. It must be the one for the odometer, the other one looking similar being for the clock.

Try to slowly turn it, and see if you can make light!

 

[300SDude]

I was told that the little one that looks like a thumb tab is for the idle, but when I turned it, nothing really happened.

I'll give it a try whenI put it in the building today and it will be in the dark. Can't hurt to try, lol.

Not that I drive the car at night all that often, but they want $95 for a new rheostat, and even then, I am not sure if they will work.

Usually, in most American cars, if you don't have any dash lights, it means that you don't have any tail lights/brake lights.

I know this isn't true for this car, since I can have the parking lights on, and even depress the brake and everything works. (I know, I just had to fix the turn signals and one brake light on the rear).

I'll give anything a try though.

I haven't even put 400 miles on this car since I got it in August, so it's all still new to me, lol.

Thanks,
300SDude (Donnie)

 

[6point3]

SDude, cool car

The 300 SD w116 is a great durable and dependable car, capable of going half a million miles with proper maintenance and upkeep.

The dash/IC lights are regulated by one of the knobs on the bottom as stated in the other posts.
You can dim or brighten them as you wish. The 'turn' swith has brushes in it and they lose contact.
You can temporarily revive them by dousing it in wd40 or jiggle it a little for it to work.
A piece of advice , if you ever owned a Mercedes : you will find any old Mercedes to be a major money pit, if you go to the dealer for every part.
That's what Mercedes does, make money on these parts, and lots of it.....

Good Luck

Alex